Jets down 3 games to 1
by Matthew M. Hollie
Summary: The Jets are down 3-1, but are they out? Note: This is a work of fiction.


A/N: Please Read and Review, please.

Disclaimer: Power Rangers are property of Saban Brands, Inc. All teams mentioned are properties of the NHL.

Rated K+

A/N: This is an AU story featuring a few PR characters, so feel free to tell me what you think. Also, this is a work of fiction.

If MEC had been successful in raising sufficient capital to purchase the Jets and secure private and public sector funding for the construction of a new arena, the Jets would have played in Winnipeg for the 1996-1997 season and beyond. This is a story, strictly fictional, of one potential account of what would have happened in the 2006-2007 season, the 35th of the Jets proud history, the season that also was never played.

**Oilers Take 3-1 Commanding Series Lead, Jets Vow to Turn The Tide in Series**

May 23, 2007

Bedlam enveloped Rexall Place in Edmonton last night as Ryan Smyth's shot from the point beat Jets goaltender Billy Cranston early in the second overtime period. Fans, all but a handful dressed in white, reveled in the dramatic victory. Even after the players left the ice, the fans kept cheering, wanting to preserve this moment as long as possible. After taking a commanding three games to one series lead, could this actually be the year the Oilers once again beat the Jets in a playoff series? More than 15,000 in attendance in Rexall Place certainly would have thought so.

However, the players in the visitors' locker room aren't among the 15,000.

Once the initial euphoria of the victory died down, the harsh reality of where they were hit home.

"I can't believe they're one game away from sending us out," said Jets captain Zack Taylor in the middle of a suddenly somber Jets dressing room.

"It's nice to win games, but we just can't leave ourselves this small of a margin for error," explained Jets coach Wayne Gretzky, one of the Oilers Greats, and a leading contender for the Jack Adams Award. "We just can't make the Oilers work this hard to beat us. We just can't afford to lose another game. It's just that simple. We've just got to find a way to win the remaining three games of this series. Nothing else is acceptable. I feel embarrassed that we've pushed the Oilers this far. That's my job, and I take full responsibility for this situation."

Managing Partner Cory Holie doesn't think so. "The guys had a rough series, considering we were the laughingstock of the league last year," he said. "It's not Wayne's fault. He shouldn't take responsibility for what happened on the ice this series. He'll get us back on track in the next three games."

The mood was much different in the Oilers dressing room, though coach Craig MacTavish expressed more surprise than disappointment, "The Jets were certainly the better team tonight and deserved to win, but we still can't believe we're down 3-1. We didn't think the Jets needed to be reminded who they're playing. I guess they do after all."

The Jets took an early lead, only to lose it as the Oilers tied the game and also took out Jets goaltender Curtis Joseph as Raffi Torres bowled into the net, successfully knocking Joseph out of the contest. Though the hometown fans were howling, Joseph, despite being the victim of yet another vicious attack initiated by Torres, said, "I hope Mr. Torres wasn't injured in trying to take me out of the game. I really should have let in a couple of more goals so that he didn't have to resort to that stuff. It's really my fault, I take full blame for it."

The game-winning goal was set up by a penalty on Oilers defenseman Jason Smith, who hauled down Shane Doan on a partial breakaway. Doan argued with the referee that no penalty should have been called on the play, but to no avail. "Once we got the faceoff in their end with the man advantage, it all went downhill from there. Tommy (Oliver) got a clean shot from the point, and he had to shoot it. It went in, what can I say?", Doan said.

Tommy Oliver offered this opinion on the game, "It was an outstanding game. You always want to win, so it's hard to be disappointed, but this is as far as we can go. We just can't let this happen again. There are a lot of guys in this room who have been down that road before and we know what it takes. We've got to make it harder for the Oilers, we can't let them beat us. I'm confident that we'll respond to the occasion."

The same determination that the Jets showed in taking the Oilers to the brink will surely be directed at bringing the same level of excitement to the crowd in Winnipeg and the MTS Centre for Game 5 as they did to the Rexall Place patrons in Game 4.

"You can count on it", said Ed Jovanovski.

On this, both the Oilers and Jets agree.


End file.
